Rotary traveling sprinkler



- Sept. 15, 1936. w BUCKNER 2,054,554

ROTARY TRAVELING S PRINKLER Original Filed April 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l IINVENTOR VI fr aA. B uclcn e1,"

BY W

P 1936- w. A. BUCKNER ROTARY TRAVELING SPRINKLER Original Filed April 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR T/I/IJZ.A.BLLC c1161" BY Qw gmm ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 15, 1936 ROTARY TRAVELING SPRINKLER William A. Buckner, Fresno; Calif. Original application April 15, 1935, Serial No.

16,376. Divided and this ap lication September 30, 1935, Serial No. 42,815

3 Claims.

This invention relates to rotary traveling sprinklers of that type which include a ground bearing wheel which directly supports the sprinkler unit, and a conventional supply pipe and supporting arm projecting axially from the wheel and connected at its outer end to a vertical swivel connection which in turn is connected to a source of supply. The present application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 16,376, filed April 15, 1935, the object of this present invention being to simplify the construction of the sprinkler over what is shown in my Patent No. 2,001,180, dated May 14, 1935; while retaining all the advantages of the previous structure.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved sprinkler shown as connected to its mounting means.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the sprinkler unit detached.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral I denotes the ground engaging wheel of the sprinkler which is turnable on a horizontal spindle 2. This spindle beyond and adjacent the outer face of the wheel is formed with an upstanding water passage member 3. The spindle beyond the inner face of the wheel is connected to a length of rigid pipe 4. This pipe at its opposite end is secured to a swivel coupling unit 5 of the type shown in the parent application, which unit is in turn swivelly connected to and upstands from an underground coupling and valve unit 6, which is preferably of the type shown in my Patent No. 1,966,900, dated April 9, 1935.

The passage member 3 at its upper end, whichis below the top of the wheel I is secured to the lower end of an upstanding relatively small passage extension I which terminates above the top of the wheel in an enlarged tapped head or socket 8. Screwed into the head is a boss 0, another boss I being upwardly spaced therefrom; said bosses being connected on one side by an integral member I I so that a rigid bearing unit of substantially U-sha-ped form is provided. These bosses form spaced bearings for a tubular spindle l2 on the upper end of which a sprinkler nozzle head l3 of suitable character is removably mounted. The lower end of the spindle has an enlarged flange I 4 disposed inside the head 8 under the boss 9; a water sealing gasket ring l5 being disposed about the spindle between said flange and the boss 9.

A pinion I6 is secured to the spindle between the bosses, this pinion engaging a gear I! overhanging the wheel I. This gear is fixed on a depending shaft I8 journaled in a bearing I9 formed integral with a supporting arm 20 which projects radially from and is integral with the head 8. The lower end of this shaft below the arm is formed with a pinion 2 I. This pinion engages a gear 22 fixed on a sleeve 23 which is turnable on and extends lengthwise of the extension 1 between the head 8 and the upper end of the member 3; these parts preventing vertical movement of said sleeve without interfering with its rotation. The lower end of this sleeve is formed with a bevel pinion 24 engaging a bevel gear 25 formed on the adjacent face of the wheel I.

By means of this construction it will be seen that with the rotation of the spindle I2 due to water passing under pressure through the nozzle unit, the gear I! will be rotated at a relatively slow speed. This in turn imparts rotation at a still slower speed to the gear 22 and pinion 24, so that the wheel is also rotated.

With a sprinkler unit construction as above described a very compact, simple and strong arrangement is provided. The drive being taken from the spindle I2 between its bearings, any tendency to binding is eliminated without the necessity of employing very long bearings. Also it is very easy to remove the spindle for replacement of the washer if necessary, without having to first shift the member 3 outwardly relative to the wheel as was previously the case.

As will be clear from Figure 2, the pinion I6 and gear I1 are removably mounted on their respective axial supports. By reason of this arrangement, other pinion and gear units, having different relative proportions, may be used if it is desired to alter the speed of travel of the ground bearing wheel without altering the speed of rotation of the nozzle spindle.

From the foregoing description it will be read.- ily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a traveling sprinkler, a ground bearing Wheel, a tubular passage unit supported by and upstanding radially from adjacent the outer face of the wheel, a tapped head on the upper end of the unit, a rotary passage spindle projecting upwardly from the head, a bearing for the spindle removably screwed into the head, means on the spindle and cooperating with the bearing to prevent removal of the spindle when the bearing is mounted in the head, a pinion on the spindle above the bearing, a gear meshing with the pinion, bearing means for the gear, an arm rigid with the passage unit and supporting said bearing means, a sleeve turnable on the unit under the head, a gear fixed on the upper end of the sleeve, a pinion fixed with the first named gear and meshing with the sleeve gear, a bevel pinion on the sleeve below the gear thereon, and a bevel gear on the wheel engaged by said bevel pinion.

2. A structure as in claim 1 with another bearing for the spindle above the pinion thereon, and an integral connection between the spindle bearings disposed to one side of the spindle pinion.

3. A structure as in claim 1 in which the first named pinion and gear are removably mounted, whereby they may be replaced by other pinion and gear units having difierent relative proportions.

WILLIAM A. BUCKNER. 

